Mum’s extreme stress led to attempted murder
A woman who tried to drown her mentally disabled son in the Manukau Harbour has avoided jail after a court heard she was suffering from extreme stress and sleep deprivation.
Tracey June Johnson was found guilty of attempted murder on November 27.
Her adult son had a severe intellectual disability, epilepsy, autism, Tourette syndrome, schizophrenia and was prone to violent outbursts.
Yesterday in the High Court, Justice Sally Fitzgerald said Johnson had ‘‘diminished mental capacity’’ and suffered from extreme sleep deprivation when the crime was committed.
‘‘The court must be astute to protect the weak and the vulnerable,’’ Justice Fitzgerald added.
The High Court at Auckland heard Johnson had grown concerned for her son’s care at a Waikato facility and decided to look after him herself.
But jurors were told Johnson spoke of an ‘‘apocalypse’’ in the hours before the incident. A witness said Johnson had been acting strangely, talking to herself and repeatedly holding her hand up to her ear like she was talking on the phone shortly before the attempted murder.
Justice Fitzgerald said Johnson’s son ‘‘essentially needs 24-hour care and supervision on at least a two-to-one basis’’.
The court was told the woman now accepted her memories of that day – on sentencing Tracey June Johnson
‘‘The court must be astute to protect the weak and the vulnerable.’’
Justice Sally Fitzgerald
including interacting with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s ‘‘right-hand man’’ – were false.
Justice Fitzgerald said Johnson was previously preoccupied with keeping her son out of danger, in contrast to her ‘‘disturbed mental state’’ on May 13, 2018.
A passer-by walking his dog found Johnson’s son alive on rocks the next morning at the end of a beach in Weymouth, south Auckland.
During the trial, defence counsel Jonathon Hudson and Paul Borich, QC, argued there was not reliable evidence the drowning attempt happened.
Ultimately, 11 out of 12 jurors were convinced it did.
Johnson was sentenced to eight months of home detention. She was allowed out of the dock and shook her lawyer’s hand.
Justice Fitzgerald said although Johnson was not allowed to see her son, over time and with adequate supervision that could change.